Coronavirus patient at Thrissur Medical College is stable

The first patient who was tested positive with coronavirus is in a stable condition, Thrissur Medical College said in a statement on Sunday.

"Coronavirus patient at Thrissur Medical College is stable. Her condition is satisfactory. There are currently 20 people in Thrissur who are under observation in different hospitals. From here, 30 samples have been sent to Alappuzha virology lab," the medical college said in its statement.

Earlier, the patient was shifted from Thrissur General Hospital to the isolation ward of Thrissur Medical College.

Earlier today, the second case of novel coronavirus in the country was reported from Kerala, and the patient is being monitored in an isolation ward in the Alappuzha Medical College.

The Health Ministry is ensuring strict measures are in place to control any possible outbreak. Senior officials from the Health Department are camping in Thrissur and Alappuzha where two confirmed cases are reported.

According to the latest medical bulletin issued by Directorate of Health Services, a total of 1999 people arrived from coronavirus affected areas to the state so far. Of these, 1924 are under observation in homes and 75 in hospitals.

About 104 samples of suspects and two revision samples have been sent to National Institute of Virology, Pune for test. So far results of 34 samples tested were negative apart from two positive cases.

Kerala Health Minister KK Shailaja said that control rooms have been opened at the state health department headquarters and all district headquarters.

"The information of hospitals set up for further treatment of suspected coronavirus infections has been published in all the districts. Sample testing facility has been set up in the NIV unit at Alappuzha."

Malappuram district has the most number of people in observation, 315.

The first case of coronavirus infection was reported from Kerala three days ago.

The virus originated in China's Wuhan city in December last year and has since spread to various cities around the world. The confirmed cases of coronavirus in China have now surged past 14,000.

Health authorities around the world are taking action to prevent a global pandemic as the virus continues to spread, with cases reported in Australia, France, the United States and seven Asian countries besides China.

Several countries including India have sped up the evacuation process after the World Health Orgsation (WHO) declared the coronavirus outbreak as a global health crisis.

Earlier today, India evacuated 323 Indian nationals and seven Maldives citizens, from Wuhan in a special Air India flight. Earlier 324 Indians had been evacuated on Saturday too from Wuhan.

( With inputs from ANI )